Ahmadinejad speech at UN 2009/Not anti-semitic, but just criticism on Israel
Astrid Essed | 03.10.2009 05:47 | Palestine | Repression | Liverpool
Since the Western countries are directly and indirectly supporting the Israeli occupation, it is a shame and disgrace, that they walkout at this very speech, which brings into light the Israeli war-crimes and the Western implicite consent.
SUMMARY:
During his speech for the General Assembly of the United Nations dd 23-9-2009, the Iranian president, Mr M Ahmadinejad, has righlty uttered criticism as well at the zionistic character of the State of Israel, as the humanitarian conseqences of the 42 during Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories
Especially he has focused on the recent Israeli Gaza offensive, end of december [2008] untill medio january [2009]
Consciously and wrongly, this criticism is being associated by the Western leaders with ''anti-semitism''
The renewed Western ''walkout circus'' at the Ahmadinejad speech is not only hypocritical, also it reveals the Western political and moral co-responsibility for the Israeli occupation and her humanitarian consequences''
END OF SUMMARY
Dear Editor and Readers,
Undoubtedly you have learnt about the walkout of the Western diplomats at the Ahmadinejad speech for the General Assembly, dd 23-9-2009
Direct cause:
The allegedly ''anti-semitic rhetoric'' of Ahmadinejad [1]
REPEATING WESTERN SOAP-DRAMA WITH ONE LEITMOTIV ''ANTI-SEMITISM'':
This Western walkout is no single political decision, but a repeating soap-drama, with probably many seasons to be followed, although not as fascinating as ''Desperate Housewives'' [2]
For example there was a Western walkout during the speech of Ahmadinejad dd 20-4 of this year [2009] at the UN Anti-racism Conference, Durban II [3]
In that speech he rightly pointed out at the racist character of the Israeli Netanyahu government, as the humanitarian consequences of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories [4]
THE ''ANTI-SEMITIC'' CHARACTER OF THE AHMADINEJAD SPEECH FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS, SEPTEMBER 2009
ANTI-SEMITISM VERSUS CRITICS ON ISRAEL AS A STATE
Anti-semitism is a form of racism, which is to be defined as hatred against and repulsion from Jews because of their religion, culture and their very existence.
It shows itself in all sort of negative qualifications for Jews [like a sick need for power, greed and common wickedness], blaming the real of alleged acts of one member of the group to the group as a whole
In this sense, it is comparable with the criminalisation in the nowadays European coutries of ''non-western'' minorities, East-Europeans, ''illegal'' refugees, blacks and muslims [5]
However, the UN speech of Mr Ahmadinejad shows no ''anti-semitic rhetoric'', but is referring to the zionist character of the State of Israel, with special reference to the ethnic cleansings of the Palestinians in 1948, as to the humanitarian consequences of the 42 years Israeli occupation.
Especially he has focused on the recent Israeli Gaza-offensive dd end of december [2008] till medio january [2009]
QUOTES FROM THE SOCALLED ''ANTI-SEMITIC'' RHETORIC
But first a quote of the socalled ''anti-semitic'' rhetoric in the United Nations speech of president Ahmadinejad [6]
''How can one imagine that the inhuman policies in Palestine may continue; to force the entire population of a country out of their homeland for more than 60 years by resorting to force and coercion; to attack them with all types of arms and even prohibited weapons;''
....................
....................
''How can the crimes of the occupiers against defenseless women and children and destruction of their homes, farms, hospitals and schools be supported unconditionally by certain governments, and at the same time, the oppressed men and women be subject to genocide and heaviest economic blockade being denied of their basic needs, food, water and medicine''
''Oppression against Palestinians and violation of their rights still continue; a new group of Palestinians who lived in al-Qod al-Sharif were again forced out of their homes as the destruction of their residential homes continues by the occupiers;''
As may be clear to anyone, who has taken the trouble to read the Ahmadinejad speech, he refers to the military behaviour of the Israeli STATE, focusing on its zionist character
The only time, he really refers to Jews, it is in the positive sense
See Quote from the Ahmadinejad speech
''The Secretary- General and the UN General Assembly can take the lead by undertaking necessary measures for the fulfillment of our shared goals on the basis of:
1 – Restructuring the United Nations in order to transform this world body to an efficient and fully democratic organization, capable of playing an impartial, equitable, and effective role in the international relations.....................................
..................................................................................
''restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people by organizing a referendum and free elections in Palestine in order to prepare a conducive ground for all Palestinian populations, including Muslims, Christians and Jews to live together in peace and harmony''
As sofar for the ''anti-semitic'' rhetoric of president Ahmadinejad
ZIONISM VERSUS ANTI-SEMITISM
In his speech, Mr Ahmadinejad is referring consequently to the ''Zionist regime'' meaning the zionist character of the Israeli State
Without any pretention to give a full historical report, the following needs to be said about zionism:
Zionism is a political-ideological movement, which has been founded by the journalist Mr T Herzl at the end of the 19th century, with as an aim the foundation of a Jewish State in the then Turkish-Ottoman colony, Palestine [which has been British Mandatory Territory from 1922] [7]
Because of the influence of this movement and an agreement with the British government, calling the Balfour Declaration [8], in 1947 UN GA [General Assembly] Resolution 181 was accepted, by which the former British Mandatory Territory Palestine was divided in a Jewish and Arab part, without any voice of the autochtone Arab Palestinian population, who didn't agree with this partition
So the very execution of Resolution 181 was contrary with the right on selfdestination of the Palestinian population, living in Palestine for ages.
In may 1948, the Israeli-zionist politician, Mr D Ben Gurion, declared, that the Jewish part would be ''Israel''
In the following war between the State of Israel and the resisting Palestinian organisations [which were supported by a small army from the newly independent Arab States], by which war-crimes were committed by both parties [9] 750.000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes and country by Israeli troops [10]
More than 400 Arab villages were destroyed and a great number of mass-slaughters took place, among else Deir Yassin [11]
Those ethnical cleansings [the expulsions of 750.000 Palestinians] have been the basis of the present Palestinian refugee-problem
To those ethnical cleansings Ahmadinejad is referring in his speech, when stating
''How can one imagine that the inhuman policies in Palestine may continue; to force the entire population of a country out of their homeland for more than 60 years by resorting to force and coercion''
Regarding zionism it is also important to realize, that not all Jews are zionists
There is a considerable number of anti-zionists like Albert Einstein, Erich From, etc
With respect to Jewish anti-zionism it is worth to visit the Neturei Karta website of religious Jewish anti-zionists
See also an image of Ahmadinejad, embracing a member of Neturei Karta and the letter of approval of Neturei Karta with the Ahmadinejad speech at Durban II
[12]
As not all Jews are zionists, many non-Jews are, like European and American fanatical fundamental christians, the socalled ''christian'' zionists [13]
THE HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES OF THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION
THE GAZA-OFFENSIVE
THE GAZA-BLOCKADE
''How can the crimes of the occupiers against defenseless women and children and destruction of their homes, farms, hospitals and schools be supported unconditionally by certain governments, and at the same time, the oppressed men and women be subject to genocide and heaviest economic blockade being denied of their basic needs, food, water and medicine.''
Quote speech Ahmadinejad
In his speech, Mr Ahmadinejad has mentioned ''the crimes of the occupiers', meaning the humanitarian consquences of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories
Especially he has focused on the recent Israeli military Gaza offensive [end december/medio january 2009], in which Israel has committed a great number of war-crimes, like the use of phosophorous weapons in dense-populated areas, the destruction of houses, shooting on ambulances and mistreatment of prisoners of war
They are strictly forbidden according to International Humanitarian Law and the 3th and 4th Geneva Conventions [14]
Also they were followed by sharp criticism in the Goldstone-report [15]
The Ahmadinejad speech, is simply qualified by the Western countries as ''anti-semitic'', refusing to acknowledge the difference between real anti-semitism as critics on the Israeli military behaviour.
This is the more striking, since the Western countries are implicitly supporting the Israeli occupation, by refusing to summon Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories, based on UN Security Resolution 242, dd 1967.
And not to forget the de facto American support for the Israeli occupation by the military support of 3 milliard dollars every year.
EPILOGUE:
The Ahmadinejad speech is not anti-semitic at all, but is justly critizising the political and military conduct of Israel as a State, as the Israeli occupation.
Therefore I regard is as a gotspe, that the Western countries, that never took any diplomatic or other sanctions against unlawful Israeli military behaviour, even at the Gaza-offensive, have walked out at this very speech.
Justly, Ahmedinejad is referring to the Western countries in this quote
''How can the crimes of the occupiers against defenseless women and children and destruction of their homes, farms, hospitals and schools be supported unconditionally by certain governments....
.................................................. .''
As long as the Western countries refuse to summon Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories, they are co-responsible for the humanitarian consequences of the Israeli occupation.
The facts lay there, in the form of UN Resolutions and International Law
If history is judging, the Western world is NOT able to say
''WIR HABEN ESS NICHT GEWUSST''
Kind greetings
Astrid Essed
Amsterdam
The Netherlands
NOTES
[1]
Die Welt World De
dd 24-9-2009
Politics dd 24-9-2009
''UN delegates walk out over Iran's anti-Israel speech''
Quote:
''In a statement, spokesman to the US mission to the United Nations said "it is disappointing that Mr. Ahmadinejad has once again chosen to sepouse hateful, an offensive and anti-Semitic rhetoric."
Source
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4719464,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-top-1022-rdf
Full text UN speech Ahmadinejad dd 23-9-2009
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23565.htm
[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desperate_Housewives
[3]
The Haaretz
20-4-2009
''Durban delegates storm out in protest of Ahmadinejad speech ''
Source:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1079592.html
[4]
a Colorado Indymedia:
''The Western walkout at the Ahmadinejad speech/Hypocrisy and lack of respect for fundamental human rights''
Astrid Essed
2-5-2009
Source
http://colorado.indymedia.org/node/1681
b Foreign Policy Journal
''Ahmadinejad Holds Up a Mirror to Western Powers, Inviting Scorn''
Jeremy R. Hammond
21-4-2009
Source
http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2009/04/21/ahmadinejad-holds-up-a-mirror-to-western-powers-inviting-scorn/
c Full text of the Ahmadinejad speech dd 20-4-2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_8010000/newsid_8010700/8010747.stm
[5]
Quebec Indymedia
Astrid Essed\
25-4-2007
''A tsunami of racism, the political views of Mr Wilders [Dutch MP]
Source
http://quebec.indymedia.org/en/node/27273
[6]
Full text of the Ahmadinejad speech for the General Assembly of the United Nations, dd 23-9-2009
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23565.htm
[7]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Herzl
http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Famous-Zionist-Quotes/Story643.html
''Der Judenstaat'' '[The Jewish State]
Book, written by Herzl, elaborating the zionist ideology
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/6640/zion/judenstaadt.html
[8]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration_of_1917
About the Balfour Declaration, the writer A Koestler would remark
''"one nation solemnly promised to a second nation the country of a third".
Source
http://www.1948.org.uk/preparing-the-ground/
[9]
At april 13th 1948, 4 days after the Deir Yassin massacre, there was an Arab military attack on a medical convoy travelling to Haddassah Hospital, with as a tragic result the death of 77 doctors, nurses, and other Jewish civilians.
[10]
Ilan Pappe
The ethnic cleansing of Palestine
http://ilanpappe.com/?page_id=7
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/history/origin.html#1948
[11]
http://www.palestineremembered.com/Jerusalem/Dayr-Yasin/index.html
http://www.deiryassin.org/
[12]
Letter of approval Neturei Karta with the Ahmadinejad speech at Durban II, 20-4-2009
http://www.nkusa.org/activities/Letters/Letter-Iran20090513.pdf
Website Neturei Karta
http://www.nkusa.org/
http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/images/ak04_m.jpg
[13]
It needs to be said here, that regarding to the occupied Palestinian population, less christian love and compassion is to be found, since those fundamentalists are strong supporters of the Israeli occupation, averting their conscience of the human rights violations, stemming from this occupation
[14]
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW:
About the seven fundamental rules of International Humanitarian Law
1 - Persons hors de combat and those who do not take a direct part in hostilities are entitled to respect for their
lives and their moral and physical integrity. They shall in all circumstances be protected and treated humanely
without any adverse distinction.
6 - Parties to a conflict and members of their armed forces do not have an unlimited choice of methods and means of warfare. It is prohibited to employ weapons or methods of warfare of a nature to cause unnecessary losses or excessive suffering.
7 - Parties to a conflict shall at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants in order to
spare civilian population and property. Neither the civilian population as such nor civilian persons shall be the
object of attack. Attacks shall be directed solely against military objectives.
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/668BF8
ABOUT ISRAELI PRISONERS OF WAR:
Mr Shalit:
It is evident, that those rules are also applying to Israeli prisoners of war
I refer to the capture of Mr G Shalit, who is not yet permitted to correspond regularly with his family
See also
4 - Captured combatants and civilians under the authority of an adverse party are entitled to respect for their lives,dignity, personal rights and convictions. They shall be protected against all acts of violence and reprisals. They shall have the right to correspond with their families and to receive relief.
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/668BF8
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/palestine-news-180609!OpenDocument
THE 3TH AND 4TH GENEVA CONVENTIONS:
Article 3, 3th Geneva Convention
''Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.''
See
http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/7c4d08d9b287a42141256739003e636b/6fef854a3517b75ac125641e004a9e68
This is referring to the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners of war
See also
http://www.hamoked.org.il/news_main_en.asp?id=644
Art. 53. 4th Geneva Convention
Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.
http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/7c4d08d9b287a42141256739003e636b/6756482d86146898c125641e004aa3c5
The 4th Geneva Convention is appliable on Gaza, since according to International Law, Gaza is still occupied territory, because Israel is controlling its borders and air.
[15]
Goldstone report:
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2009/09/15/UNFFMGCReport.pdf
Astrid Essed
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